Solid reasons why Rams are painted into corner over ILB Ernest Jones extension

On March 25, 2024, LA Rams starting ILB Ernest Jones Tweeted a cryptic message that seemed to suggest that he was about to be paid handsomely in his next contract and that his extension was ready to be inked. But by the time OTAs were done, that same Tweet was deleted. Did Ernest Jones jump the gun? Did he believe that his new deal was nearly done, but the team had a different timetable in mind?

Worse yet, did the team rethink their intent to extend Ernest Jones, and the young anchor of the Rams defense will be peddling his wares elsewhere at the end of this season, the final year of his rookie contract? Don't bet on it.

For what it's worth, the Rams need starting inside linebacker Ernest Jones right now, perhaps the greatest need of an inside linebacker since hiring HC Sean McVay. With new Defensive Coordinator taking over the defensive reins, and the retirement of All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald, this defense needs a key player to lead the group, as well as a tough, physical, and ruthless gladiator to redefine the tone and tempo of this new defensive group.

And Ernest Jones checks all of the boxes.

It's become rather apparent that Shula intends to blend the best of the strategies and roles of his predecessors, and will do so by engaging key defensive contributors to accomplish that task. Much like the special relationship between HC Sean McVay and his starting QB Matthew Stafford, DC Chris Shula envisions ILB Ernest Jones as the one person who can make his high-energy defense purr like a kitten. But, when they take the field, roar like a pride of Lions.

In 2024, Ernest Jones is the Lion King.

Finagling a financially fit future

What defines the ability of one NFL team to hoist a Lombardi Trophy, while others struggle to find success at all? You could argue that it's a marketing ploy of the NFL, a pre-scripted set of outcomes that, similar to the WWE, is meant to artificially create on-field drama to optimize fans entertainment. But that cannot be it.

You could point to the quality of coaches in the NFL, and argue that some coaches simply have a better process, teaching methods, and ability to communicate with and motivate players more effectively than others. And in many ways, that is part of the answer. How else could LA Rams HC Sean McVay lead a band of merry men and NFL outcasts to the NFL Playoffs just one year after tumbling to a injury-riddled record of 5-12?

But the main distinction between superb NFL teams and those that struggle starts with their financial foundation. Since all NFL teams have a hard cap in place, how is it that some teams always seem to be in the hunt for another NFL Championship ring, while others seem to repeat at drafting rookies among the Top-10 picks on an annual basis?

It's simple. Money matters.

It seems to come down to how well, and where, teams spend those limited salary cap dollars. If you notice, teams with a rookie quarterback can skyrocket to the NFL Playoffs because they have a QB under a bargain priced rookie contract. Right now, the San Francisco 49ers are enjoying the economically priced starter Brock Purdy to invest heavily in the rest of their roster.

But when Brock Purdy gets paid, the gravy train will run dry for the rest of their roster.

Les Snead lays it on the line over Rams plans for Ernest Jones

The LA Rams are not in a similar position. Unlike the 49ers, or any team blessed with a talented by very young quarterback, the team is paying full freight at the quarterback position. That means that this team must find saving elsewhere, which prompted the great purge of 2023. Last season, the team shed multiple highly compensated veterans to restructure the team's financial commitments to players and position groups.

In 2024, the LA Rams are spending just $82.8 million on the defensive side of the football. Per overthecap.com, that is the least amount spent on defense in the NFL. Curiously, the Detroit Lions, led by GM Brad Holmes, is the second least expensive NFL defense. That is curious because he was a former personnel executive with the LA Rams before taking over as the new GM of the Lions. And the two-time NFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs clock in as the third least expensive defense.

Okay, so why all the income statement talk? Well, that is all due to the fact that the topic of spending on defensive players has come up, and LA Rams GM Les Snead has already said that Ernest Jones' extension is a priority for the team.

But as is the case with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, contract negotiations are not well-timed at this very moment:

"We did talk to Ernest and what we did tell him is because of 2023, and how we went into that year to clean up our salary cap a little bit, we definitely wanted to use a lot of this years cash and cap on improving our team from last year. And that some of those guys might have to wait, play their senior year, per se, or their fourth year before we get to them, only because that is what we think right now is best for the 2024 version of the Rams. But you never know. We will always be in contact, but we have Ernests group know that that is probably the case (that he would play out year four) and that we would revisit it then"

Les Snead

Or to put it another way, the Rams focus in 2023 was in acquisition. In 2024, the team will pivot to extensions and retention:

So where does that leave Ernest Jones and the team's front office? It's a call for Ernest Jones to prove to the powers that be that he can be the spiritual, mental, and physical leader that this defense needs in 2024.

The best is yet to come

The skyrocketing productive progress of Jones in the Rams defense has been one the loudest whispers of the NFL. From a modest rookie season of semi-starting, he has erupted into a raging volcano of defensive destruction, closing out the 2023 season with 145 tackles, 4.5 quarterback sacks, 14 tackles for a loss, and six quarterback hits in just 15 games. If he suits up for all 17 games in 2024, the upside is likely to top 180 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 5.5 quarterback sacks, and eight quarterback hits.

Those are Pro Bowl numbers, if not All-Pro numbers.

Too optimistic for you? Jones enjoyed a 27 percent improvement from 2022 to 2023, while competing in two fewer games. At that pace, he is well on his way to putting up those massive numbers.

And why not? The four-year veteran has played alongside and learned from NFL greats like DB Jalen Ramsey, DT Aaron Donald, OLB Von Miller, and ILB Bobby Wagner. They are arguably the best NFL defenders of this era, and they have all had their turn to mentor, teach, and show Jones what it takes to reach and remain atop the NFL on the defensive side of the football.

Now, Ernest Jones is taking aim at becoming the best version of himself.

That's great timing, because not other player on this defense can lead this group. Either the players are too young, or they are seasoned veterans arriving from other teams, or they simply have not held the type of dominating presence on the football field that everyone else looks up to.

This is the year of Ernest Jones. Don't just believe me. That is how the LA Rams have acted this entire offseason already.

LA Rams painted themselves into corner over Ernest Jones extension

Who is Ernest Jones's successor? That's a very good question, and one that I fear does not have an obvious answer right now. If we are being honest, I'm not convinced that anyone even knows who will line up next to him in a base 3-4 defensive alignment this season.

I, for one, believe that is the result of a deliberate decision by the front office and the coaching staff.

There were plenty of solide rookie prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft who had plenty of talent and were on the draft board for the team. Yet, just like the option to add a rookie quarterback, the team opted not to address the inside linebacker position until after the draft. Now, don't get me wrong. I believe that veteran ILB Christian Rozeboom can be a serviceable complement to Jones in this defense. And I am curious to see if second-year ILB Olakunle Fatukasi steps up into the rotation this year.

I also believe that the team signed two worthy rookies after the draft in former-LSU ILB Omar Speights and former-Marshall ILB Elias Neil. But none are realistically expected to challenge Jones for the right to start as the primary inside linebacker.

I suppose it is due to the respect the team has for Jones that they they avoided any perception of true training camp competition for that role in training camp of his contract year. Without direct competition for the starting ILB role and defensive signal-caller, the team has willingly created a void where the successor for Jones's job should stand.

And in doing so, the LA Rams painted themselves into corner over Ernest Jones's upcoming extension.

You can count on Ernest Jones to deliver this season, quite likely a career-best season. And you can count on the Rams extending Jones to a contract extension after he delivers in 2024. Everyone is in agreement over what comes next. But, because the timing is not right just yet, we all must wait for events to transpire before we see any contract being inked by either party.

As always, thanks for reading.